Guard for safety pins



Oct. 3, 1950 c. F. GALLOWAY 2,524,346

GUARD FOR SAFETY PINS Filed Nov. 25, 1949 gaseanm 6/144 5 fbzmwmGttorneg Patented Oct. 3, 1950 UNITED S TATES PATENT OFFICE 2,524,346GUARD FOR. SA TYPINS Charles F. Galloway, Los An glesjCalif. ApplicationNovember 25, 1949, fs'e'iialiivb. 129,428

The present invention relates to a guard for safety pins.

An object of the invention is the provision of a guard for a safety pinwhich will hold the pointed end of said safety pin against displacementfrom its clasp.

The invention is of particular use where safety pins are used forholding clothing on an infant. Ofttimes the pointed end of the safetypin escapes from its clasp with the result that the infant may beinjured. The invention has other uses, particularly where displacementof the pointed end of the safety pin must be prevented.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a guard for safetypins which is inexpensive in cost of manufacture, capable of functioningin an efficient manner, and generally superior to guards now known tothe inventor.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the guard of the invention shown incooperation with a safety pin of conventional form.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the guard,

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the guard, looking in the direction ofthe arrow 3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Referring now with particularity to the drawing, the improved guard isshown in the several figures, and in Figure 1 in combination with asafety pin I. The safety pin is of conventional form, in that itincludes a wire, one end of which carries a clasp 2, while the other endis pointed at 3, the wire being intermediately looped at 4. Spring wireis usually utilized so that the two arm portions of the safety pin tendto separate.

It is, of course, possible to disengage the pointed end of the wire fromthe keeper portion of the clasp and such disengagement may beaccidental.

The present invention contemplates the use of a guard adapted to enclosethe clasp. This guard, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, inclusive, includes ashield or hood 5 adapted to receive the clasp portion of the safety pinand enclose the same. Said hood or shield includes two side walls 6 andI, an end wall 8 joined with the side walls, to-

gether with top and bottom walls 9 and 10' which merge with the side andend walls. An arm ll forms an extension of the side wall 6, the said armterminating in an offset end portion l2. Portion I2 is substantially ata right angle to the plane of the arm II and is oppositely positionedrelative to the shield 5. Portion 52 has a tapered side Wall i3. Arm Hmay taper as to width from 4 Claims. (01. 24-156) the shield or hood 5to the end thereof, as 'best depictedin FigureS. Furthermore, the saidarm ltnoaybe stiifened by meansof a'rib M which extends "along the armII and theside wall 6.

The operation, uses and advantages of the invention just described areas follows:

The guard may be formed of any material, such as plastic, rubber ormetal, and it is intended that the arm it should have a certain degreeof stiffness. The hood is passed over the clasp of the safety pin, asdepicted in Figure 1, whereupon the arm I is passed between the two armportions of the safety pin, to flex the same, as indicated by the dottedline 15 of Figure 1. The offset portion I2 enters the loop 5 and hassnap locking engagement therewith due to the tapered wall 13 and therounded portion 16. The tapered wall prevents the offset portion I2accidentally escaping from loop 4. The normal resiliency of the arm aidsin holding the offset end l2 within the loop 4. Because the offset end[2 cannot be easily displaced, the hood or shield is retained on theclasp of the safety pin. It is not likely that a child, such as a baby,would. displace the arm II and hence the likelihood of the sharp end ofthe safety pin becoming disengaged from the clasp is minimized. In anyevent, actual use of the invention has shown that it requiresconsiderable force to push the offset end l2 from engagement with theloop so that the hood or shield 5 may be moved longitudinally relativeto the clasp. A device of the character described is obviouslyinexpensive in cost of manufacture and, therefore, equally inexpensivein retail cost. As shown in Figure 2, the arm I I normally lies in theplane of the side 6 of the hood or shield 5. Consequently, the arm llmust be flexed, and in flexing, the arm must be distorted to a certaindegree, and the arm resistance to such flexing or distortion effectivelyholds the hood in position of service on the catch. It is apparent fromthe specification and the drawing that no special type of safety pin isintended and that the device is adaptable to any type of safety pinwhich includes a loop and a clasp for the pin end of the safety pin.

I claim:

1. A guard for safety pins of the type which includes a clasp and a pairof arms interconnected by a coil, one of said arms secured to said claspand the other of said arms being pointed and adapted to engage theclasp, including a hood adapted to surround the clasp, an arm extendingfrom said hood and provided with a part for reception within the coil ofsaid safety pin.

2. A guard for safety pins of the type having a clasp, a pair of arms,one of which is secured to said clasp and the other of which is providedwith a pointed end for engagement with said clasp, the said armsprovided with a loop for normally separating the said arms: including ahood adapted to encase the said clasp, a resilient arm extending fromsaid hood and provided with a part for entrance within the safety pinloop upon a flexing of the arm, to thereby prevent displacement of thehood from said clasp.

3. A guard for safety pins of the type which includes a clasp and a pairof arms interconnected by a coil, one of said arms secured to said claspand the other of said arms being pointed and adapted to be engaged bythe clasp; including a hood adapted to surround the clasp, an armextending from said hood and provided with an angular extremity for snapengagement with the coil of said safety pin to prevent displacement ofthe hood from the clasp.

4. A guard for safety pins of the type which includes a clasp and a pairof arms interconnected by a coil, one of said arms secured to said claspand the other of said arms being pointed and adapted to be engaged bythe clasp; including a hood adapted to surround the clasp, an armextending from said hood and provided with an angular extremity; saidangular extremity formed with a notched portion for engagement with thecoil of the safety pin to maintain said extremity against displacementfrom said loop.

CHARLES F. GALLOWAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,038,202 Reynolds Sept. 10, 19121,546,697 Young July 21, 1925 2,138,869 Lockwood Dec. 6, 1938 2,233,247Dies Feb. 25, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 542,948 France of1922

